spaulding



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SPAULDING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM DEERING & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No'. 364,315, datedJune 7, 1887.

Application filed September 9, 1886. Serial No. 213,020. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SPAULDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowers, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to prov1 le improved means for sustaining the cutter` mechanism frame and the cutter-bar and relieving the operator of their weight when he desires to lift the cutter-bar to pass obstruc- -throngh which the axle B extends, and the forwardly-extended arm A2, to which the cuttenmechauism frame G is pivoted, and xthe tongue A, which is made fast upon the sole Al, and has fastened rigidly to it the bracket A3. The bracket A30 has pivotcd to it the lifting-lever C, from which there is extended forwardly the leverarm Cto the forward end of which is connected the chain which is attached to the cuttenmechanism frame atb. Saidlever Chas also the lever-arm C2 extended below its pivot. Upon the bracket -A is formed the notched flange, constituting a ratchet-rim, am), which is the arc of a circle about the pivot ofthe lever C, and to said lever 1s pivoted the dog F, having a nose adapted to engage the notches of said flange. There 1s provided a spring, F', link F2, and linger-lever F, to operate the dog F to cause it to be en gaged with and disengaged from the notched flange. The tubular arm A 1s provided w1th the rearwardly-extended arm Au. The end of` the lever-arm C'l and the end of the arm Aux are connected by atelescoping link composed of the parts H and H2, the former pivoted to 5o the arm A and the latter to the arm C. These l parts are provided with shoulders 7L' and h2,

respectively, near their pivotal connections with said arms respectively, and between said shoulders there is coiled aboutsaid tclescoping link the spring O.

Vhen the lever Cis in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 1, and the cutter-bar is down, the pivot of the telescoping link to the arm C2 is approximately in line with the pivot of said link to the arm A11 and the pivot of the lever C. VIn this position,therefore, the spring can exert very little force tending to lift the cutter-mechanism frame. \Vhen it is desired to lift the frame, however, the dog F being disengaged from the notched llange am by means of the 'link and lever F2 and F3, and thelever C rocked over its pivot toward the driver, the pivot of the telcs'coping link to the lever-arm C2, passing below the line ofthe pivot of the lever C- and of the pivot of the other end of the link, allows the spring O to exert its force to extend the link and force the leverarm C2 forward, carrying the arm C upward and lifting the cutter mechanism. In this action the spring gains leverage as it loses direct force, so that it exerts a nearly constant though somewhat increasing force to lift the cutter-mechanism frame until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2, and in this position it is calculated to be strong enough to sustain the weight of the cutter-mechanism frame and mechanism thereon. It may, however, be locked at intermediate positions by means of the dog F engaging in the notched flange.

In order that movement over uneven ground may not cause the cutter-bar to danee, as it might do, its weight being so nearly balanced by the spring, the dog F, while having a rearwardly-pointed nose adapted to engage the :notches of the ratchet-rim, so as to lock the bar up at all intermediate points, is pro vided also with the hook-nose f', whereby it engages the rear tooth, ctw", of the ratchet-rim, said tooth being made square in order to afford .engagement for such hook-nose to lock the cutter-bar down to keep it to its work.

I claim- 1. In combina-tion with the main fraaie of a mowingonachine, the cutter mechanism piv- .oted thereto, the lifting-lever pivoted on the ICO main frame and connected to the cutter-mechanism frame, and a spring reacting between the lifting-lever and the main frame, the point at which the spring acts upon the lever being nearest to a line from the pivot of the lever to the point of support ofthe spring upon the frame when the cutter mechanism frame is down, whereby the spring gains leverage as it loses reactionary force, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the main frame of a mowingmaehine, the cutter-mechanism frame pivoted thereto, the lifting-lever"pivoted on the main frame and havinga forward-projected arm connected to the cutter-mechanism frame, and having the downwardlyprojecting leverarm C2, the main frame being provided with a downwardlyproject ng arm, as A,a telescop ing link pivotall y connected to the arms C2 and A, and the spring coiled upon and tending to extend said link, the point at which the spring acts upon the lever being nearest to a line from the pivot of the lever to the ypoint of supportl ofthe spring upon the downWardly-projecting arm of the frame when the cutting-mechanism frame is down, substantially as set forth.

3. In combiniaion with the main frame of a mowing-machine, the eutter-mechanism frame pivoted thereto, the lifting-lever pivoted on the main frame and connected to the cuttermechanism i'rame and having the lever-arm C2, the main frame being provided with an arm, as A, a tclescoping link connecting the arms C? and A, and the spring coiled upon and tending to extend said link, the pivot of Said link to the arm C, when the cutter-bar is down,

being approximately in line with the pivot of the lever and the other end of the link, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the main frame of a mowing-machine, thc cutter-mechanism frame pivoted thereto, the lifting-lever pivoted on the main frame and connected to the cuttermechanism frame, and having thelever-arm CZ extended below its pivot, the main frame being provided with an arm, as A, extended below the axle, a telescoping link connecting the arms@2 and A, and the spring coiled upon and tending to extend said link, the pivot of said link to the arm C",when the cutter-bar is down, being approximately in line with the pivot of the lever and the other end of the link, substantially as set forth.

5. ln combination, substantially as set forth, the main-frame arm A, the cutter-mechanism frame, the lifting-lever pivoted to the main frame, having the arm C2, the spring reacting between said arms G2 and A, the ratchet-rinr the presence of lwo witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois.

GEO. H. SPAULD'ING.

W itnesses:

A. Ham?, J. F. S'rnWAnn. 

